-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Friday he appreciated U.S. President Barack Obama 's friendly gestures at last weekend 's Summit of the Americas , but said they do n't change his view of the United States as an imperialist nation .

Hugo Chavez had handshakes and smiles for President Obama at the Summit of the Americas last weekend .

Chavez 's fiery diatribes against the United States have included referring to former President George W. Bush as the devil .

He was photographed with Obama at least twice at the summit -- once when Obama shook hands with him and other leaders , and again when he approached Obama to give him a book .

`` The hand -LSB- shake -RSB- , yes . And the smile , yes -- one time and a second time and a third time and a fourth time , '' Chavez said during a televised address . `` But nobody should be mistaken . The empire is there , alive and kicking . ''

The book Chavez presented to Obama as cameras rolled is titled `` Open Veins of Latin America : Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent . '' The book chronicles Europe 's and the United States ' role in `` the effects and causes of capitalist underdevelopment in Latin America , '' according to one reviewer .

As he has in the past , Chavez noted Obama 's historic role as the first black U.S. president .

`` I hope Obama , for the dignity of his race , may be the last president of an imperialist United States , '' he said .

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Venezuelan president in TV interview : -LSB- U.S. -RSB- `` empire is there , alive and kicking ''

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Friendly exchanges with Obama did n't change his view of U.S. , Chavez says

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Chavez : `` I hope Obama ... may be the last president of an imperialist United States ''